Antifouling anchor



April 1, 1952 c. F. CHRISTIE 2,591,236

ANTIFOULING ANCHOR Filed Dec. 6, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 I0 Cleve Chn'st/e [NI 'EN TOR.

April 1952 c. F. CHRISTIE 2,591,235

ANTIFOULING ANCHOR Filed Dec. 6, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Cleve E Christie INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 1, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANTIFOULING ANCHOR Cleve F. Christie, Knoxville, Tenn.

Application December 6, 1949, Serial No. 131,274

' 3 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in anchors and more particularly to means for releasing the anchor when engaged with submerged objects toprevent fouling of the anchor.

An important object of the invention is to provide means for releasing the flukes of the anchor, when fouled with a submerged object, by a twisting movement of the anchor rope.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is efficient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on a line 2--2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a side elevational view showing the anchor in releasing position from a submerged object,

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on a line 4-4 of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a similar view taken on a line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral '5 designates a flat anchor plate having a plurality of ground anchoring prongs or flukes 6 projecting from one edge.

An elongated opening or slot 1 is formed in plate 5 for receiving a stem 8 having in internally threaded socket 9 at one end and an eye II] at its other end, socket 9 being positioned at the rear side of anchor plate 5 and eye In being positioned at the front side thereof and held in position by a cross pin II positioned in eye ID and retained therein bycotter pins or the like I2 inserted transversely through the pin at opposite sides of the eye.

A shank or rod I3 is formed with a threaded head I4 at one end for threaded engagement in socket 9 and is provided with a ring l5 at its opposite end for attaching an anchor rope I5 thereto.

A sleeve I1 is slidably mounted on rod or shank I3 and is provided with a pair of trunnions l8 2 site sides of the sleeve and to which a pair of retrieving rods I9 are pivotally attached by means of eyes 20 and held in position on the trunnion by cotter pins or the like 2| positioned transversely through the trunnion outwardly of the eyes. The otheryends of rods [9 are also formed with eyes 22 pivotally mounted on trunnions 23 projecting outwardly from the opposite edges of anchor plate 5 at its end opposite from prongs or flukes 6. Eyes 22 are also held on trunnions 23 by cotter pins or the like 24.

In the operation of the device socket 9 is held in opening I of anchor plate 5 by the cross pin Ii and eye I0 and head M of shank I3 engaged in socket 9 to thus hold the prongs or flukes 6 of the anchor plate projecting in a direction laterally or substantially at right angles to shank l3, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. Rods I9 are pivotally connected to the trunnions I8 of sleeves I7 and to the trunnions 23 of anchor plate 5.

The anchor is then lowered in the water by the anchor rope I6 to that the prongs or flukes 6 become embedded in the bottom of the body of water and the anchor is raised by pulling on the anchor rope I6 in the usual manner.

However, should the prongs or flukes 6 engage a submerged object such as a rock shown 'at 25 and prevent the normal raising of the anchor the anchor rope i6 is twisted in a direction to turn head I4 of shank I3 in socket 9 to withdraw head M from the socket and thus release shank I3 which then slides through sleeve I! whereby a substantially perpendicular pulling force may be subjected to anchor plate 5 in the manner as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings.

During the turning movement of shank l3 and head I4 in socket 9 the eye I!) is pulled into opening or slot 1 of anchor plate 5 sufliciently to prevent turning of socket 9.

Anchor plate '5 is thus freed of the obstruction and the anchor may then be raised.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appened claims.

'means rigidly connecting the shank to the fluke,

said means being released by a turning movement of the shank while the fluke remains stationary,

a rod connected at one end to the fluke, and a sleeve slidably connecting the rod to the shank to hold the shank and fluke connected to each other in separated position. 7

2. An anti-fouling anchor comprising a shank having an anchor rope attached thereto, a ground anchoring member, a threaded connection between the shank and the ground anchoring member and disengagin the former from the latter by a predetermined twisting movement of the anchor rope, and rigid retrieving means connecting the shank to the groundanchoring member and holding one attached to the other in separated relation, said retrieving means being pivotally connectedto the ground engaging member and to said shank.

3. An anti-fouling anchor comprising a shank having an anchor rope attached thereto, a

ground engaging fluke, threaded means connect-'- ing the shank to the fluke, said means being released by a predetermined twisting movement of the anchor rope to turn the shank while the fluke remains stationary, and rigid retrievin means connecting the shank to the fluke after the former is separated from the latter, said retrieving means being pivotally connected to said fluke and pivotally and slidably connected to said shank,

CLEVE F. CHRISTIE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 Number Name 7 Date 363,579 Best May 24, 1887 411,948 Wixon Oct. 1, 1889 930,486 Lewis Aug. 10, 1909 1,070,663 Bierce Aug. 19, 1913 2,415,605 Newby Feb. 11, 1947 2,490,460 McAvoy Dec. 6, 1949 2,490,583 Dunkelberger Dec. 6, 1949 

